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The Birth of the Republican Party

Words to Understand

Decentralized: Used to describe a system in which power is dispersed among people, states, or other entities, rather than controlled by one administrative body. Executive branch: The U.S. government entity that enforces laws, with the president at its head. Monarchy: A form of government ruled by a single figure, usually part of a family dynasty, such as a king or queen. Tariff: A tax on imported or exported goods. T he United States that existed in the 1850s was a nation united in name only. By then, disputes over many issues bitterly divided America. The nation had not yet celebrated 100 years of independence, and the guiding principles of government that were once so clearly defined had withered in the face of new issues that claimed the public’s attention. These controver- sies would soon plunge the nation into civil war. The chaos that marked America at this period in its history is often attributed to a single subject: slavery. Slavery certainly was at the forefront of the national debate, particularly as new states joined the union and Western territories were opened up for settlement. Other, equally conten- tious matters also divided Americans, however.

Before there were the Republican party and Democrat party, there were the Whigs. The artist who drew this political cartoon was not a fan of the Whig party. Instead, he depicted a military-uniformed candidate, referring to the victorious generals in the Mexican War, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott.

The republican party